Xue Jiao knew that turning her back and walking away might provoke these girls to bully her, but it was the best solution she could think of.
Admittedly, she could have come up with a hundred ways to escape safely from these people, but Xue Jiao didn’t have the patience to wait. She wanted a permanent solution—one that would explain her past and future while completely severing ties with them.
Cheng Mingze’s sudden appearance disrupted her plan.
But she couldn’t blame the person who had stepped forward to defend her. So she subtly shifted her footing, moving behind Cheng Mingze, and slipped the small knife in her hand back into her pocket.
“What are you doing?” Cheng Mingze shook off Li Wan’s hand and asked coldly.
Cheng Mingze—the renowned male idol of No. 7 High School, admired for his looks, academic excellence, and prestigious family background.
Li Wan had attended the same middle school as him, where he was practically everyone’s idol—including hers.
“We—we were just—” she stammered, unsure how to explain.
“Brother—” Xue Jiao tugged at his sleeve, speaking timidly, “They threatened me…”
Her eyes were fearful, as if she was terrified of the girls in front of her. The hand clutching his sleeve trembled, and she gazed up at him with teary, trusting eyes.
Cheng Mingze had to admit—his heart softened at that moment.
“How did they threaten you?” He didn’t push her hand away, and even his voice sounded gentler than ever before.
Xue Jiao bit her lip and whispered, “I don’t want to be friends with them anymore… I don’t want to copy their makeup or skip school with them…”
A storm instantly brewed in Cheng Mingze’s eyes.
So this was why the girl had painted her face so strangely before—she had learned it from these people. And skipping school? She had been with them all along.
Now that she wanted to break free from their reckless behavior, they threatened her? Even hit her in public?
And what about before?
Had Xue Jiao been willing back then?
The more he thought about it, the angrier he became, his dark eyes swirling like a vortex.
“Go home with the driver first. I still have some business to take care of.” He patted her hand, his tone leaving no room for argument.
Xue Jiao nodded and slowly walked toward the driver.
This was the first time she had ever used such “scheming,” but she didn’t regret it. These girls had no grudge against Gu Xue Jiao, yet they had led her astray.
Worse, they had arranged for her to be assaulted, filmed it, blackmailed her repeatedly, and then leaked the video—which eventually fell into Cheng Mingjiao’s hands, ruining Xue Jiao’s reputation and leading to her tragic death in the wilderness.
These people were her enemies.
How Cheng Mingze would deal with them was none of her concern, nor did she want to know. But if they still harbored ill intentions in the future, she would find a way to ensure they faced the punishment they deserved.
——
Xue Jiao slowly got into the car and said to the driver, “Uncle Xing, could you take me to buy a few things?”
She only had this afternoon free. Starting tomorrow, she would have evening self-study sessions every day and wouldn’t have time to shop anymore.
“Of course, Miss. What would you like to buy?”
“Books and a wristwatch.”
They first went to Xinhua Bookstore, where she quickly picked up all the study materials she needed. Then they drove to the mall to buy a watch.
Gu Xue Jiao’s original wristwatch had been lost, which was inconvenient for someone like her who frequently needed to check the time. Besides, she still had a few thousand yuan left on her card—enough to buy a watch similar to the previous one, and she didn’t need anything else for now.Uncle Xing drove her to a mall located in the most bustling area of the city. Xue Jiao wasn’t familiar with this place, so after asking a security guard for directions, she headed in the direction he pointed.
It was a rather secluded shop, but even from the outside, one could sense its understated luxury.
Xue Jiao hadn’t originally planned to go in, but in the display window, she spotted a wristwatch identical to the one Gu Xue Jiao had owned before.
Her lips curled into a smile as she stepped inside.
There were three people in the shop at the moment, all dressed in suits, their backs exuding an air of elite professionalism.
One looked quite young but was trying hard to maintain a stern expression. Another appeared to be in his thirties, his face even more rigid than the first.
The last one was seated with his back to her, yet even while sitting, his tall stature was evident. His long legs were casually crossed, and his attire was immaculate.
Hearing someone enter, the seated man turned his head.
Xue Jiao froze.
Suddenly, eight words came to her mind—"The peach tree is young and elegant; its blossoms are bright and dazzling."
These words shouldn’t be used to describe a man, but at this moment, they were all she could think of.
This face was the most handsome she had ever seen. She had thought Cheng Mingze’s looks were the epitome of attractiveness, but she never expected to encounter someone even more striking.
Yet the two were entirely different types—one a refined and elegant gentleman, the other a brooding Asura.
He looked to be in his early twenties, but his presence was astonishingly commanding.
His pupils contracted almost imperceptibly. Xue Jiao quickly snapped out of her daze, coughed lightly, and asked somewhat sheepishly, "Excuse me, who is the owner here?"
The seated man glanced at the one in his thirties, then slightly raised his hand, pointing at the younger one. "He’s the owner."
The man in his thirties said nothing and simply walked into an unseen back room, leaving only the two men outside.
The "owner" paused, then suddenly relaxed his forced stern expression and smiled. "Yes, I’m the owner. What can I do for you, miss?"
Xue Jiao tried her best not to let her eyes linger on the seated man and instead turned her gaze to the wristwatch in the display window. Smiling, she asked, "I’d like that wristwatch, please."
It was priced at 5,888.
Between the money in Gu Xue Jiao’s card and what she had found in her room last night, she had just enough to buy it.
"Of course!"
Just as the owner was about to fetch it, the seated man spoke. "I think this one would suit you better."
"Huh?" Xue Jiao blinked, following his finger to where he was pointing.
It was inside the counter in front of his seat, positioned at the very center of the shop. The display held only two wristwatches—clearly a men’s and a women’s design—neither of which had a price tag.
He was pointing at the women’s watch.
Xue Jiao unconsciously stepped closer. She had never seen such a beautiful wristwatch before. The men’s version was black, with faint golden threads woven along the edges, while the women’s was silver-white, its borders adorned with subtle, delicate pink hues—so faint yet incredibly lovely.
She liked it. Really, really liked it.
But clearly, even without a price tag, the exquisite craftsmanship and the luxurious display holding the watches suggested one thing—this piece was far more expensive than the one she had intended to buy!
Her original choice, plain as it was, cost over 5,000. This one had to be at least… over 10,000?
She quickly shook her head. "No, no, I’ll just take the other one!"
The seated man, however, gave an almost imperceptible smile, reached out, opened the display case, and took out the women’s watch."I highly recommend you buy this one. The store is selling it at cost price, so getting a better one is actually more economical." It was hard to imagine such an imposing man casually using the word "economical" like an ordinary person.
His voice was incredibly magnetic. Xue Jiao found herself unconsciously drawn in, even extending her hand when he gestured for her to do so.
His face was mesmerizing, and his voice even more so.
When the cool touch met her wrist, Xue Jiao internally wanted to scream like a groundhog.
Her ears were about to get pregnant!!
His slender fingers accidentally brushed against her wrist, and both of them stiffened simultaneously.
His reaction was even stronger than hers—his fingers trembled slightly before he quickly withdrew his hand. Something flickered across his face, his eyes dark pools of ink that could drown a person.
Xue Jiao met his gaze for a moment, feeling as if she might be sucked into that abyss of darkness!
She shivered and quickly averted her eyes to her wrist. The man shifted his legs slightly, his voice now deeper and slightly hoarse: "Does it look good?"
"Y-yes... it does..."
It truly did. The wristwatch had already been stunning before she put it on, but now that it adorned her wrist, it captivated her completely.
On her fair, slender wrist rested a delicate silver-white watch. The diamonds inside caught the light, shimmering faintly with a hint of soft pink, exuding an understated girlish charm—absolutely breathtaking.
Unable to resist, Xue Jiao turned her gaze to the shop owner.
"How much is this?"
"Huh?" The owner was momentarily stunned, shifting his attention to her while his peripheral vision remained fixed on the seated man.
Xue Jiao genuinely liked it. If she could resist the temptation earlier, now that it was on her wrist, she was truly tempted.
So she pleaded softly, "Boss, since you're selling at cost price, can you give me a discount?"
The shop owner hesitated before tentatively offering, "Ten thousand?"
Xue Jiao's expression visibly fell. The seated man narrowed his eyes: "Boss, that price seems a bit high."
His voice was light, pleasant, yet commanding.
"Then... one thousand?"
One thousand?
Were the diamonds in the watch just rhinestones? Was the silver-white finish just paint?
Wouldn't the watch fade after some use?
She froze for a moment before hurriedly pulling out her wallet. As she paid, she muttered in confusion, "Is the wristwatch industry... really this exploitative?"
"Of course. Any industry can be exploitative if managed well." The man stood up, his presence overwhelming.
Xue Jiao only reached his chest in height. To look at his face, she had to tilt her head up high, which made her feel a bit disheartened.
She hadn't been tall in her previous life, and even after changing bodies, she still wasn't tall...
At least she was only sixteen now—there was still room to grow.
At that moment, Xue Jiao resolved to drink a glass of milk every morning from now on!
Her expressions were vivid, her thoughts easily readable on her face. The man chuckled softly.
Then he bent down to her eye level, meeting her gaze directly, and extended his hand: "Hello, Lin Zhihua."
Xue Jiao instinctively straightened her back, looking at him in surprise.
Lin Zhihua—Zhihua. Truly, "The peach tree is young and elegant; brilliant are its flowers."
His hand remained outstretched. Xue Jiao's cheeks flushed slightly as she slowly extended her own hand. "Xue Jiao. Gu Xue Jiao."
One large and one small hand met in midair. Xue Jiao's cheeks grew even redder, while a hint of amusement flickered in Lin Zhihua's unfathomably deep eyes.She quickly withdrew her hand, then stood on tiptoe and whispered, "Thank you for helping me bargain, sir! I'll be going now!"
With that, she immediately turned and ran out, her childish backpack swaying behind her. Lin Zhihua rubbed his fingers together, the amusement in his eyes deepening.
"Boss"—or rather, the newly appointed assistant Tan Qi—shrank to the side, wearing an expression as if he'd seen a ghost.
At that moment, a chubby man burst out from the inner room, shouting, "Ahhhh! Why did you have someone cover my mouth and keep me locked in there?! And why did you sell my prized treasure for just a thousand yuan?!"
The man was practically jumping in anger, his face flushed red. "I'm going to sue you! I'm calling the police! That was my prized treasure! A thousand yuan isn't even enough to touch it! It's from a famous master—"
"How much? I'll buy it," Lin Zhihua said calmly.
"The lady's piece is 650,000..." The chubby man's voice lowered, then rose again, "But this is a couple's set! Even if you buy the lady's watch, the men's—"
"I'll take both," Lin Zhihua replied, his tone still indifferent.
"It'll affect—what? Both?!" The man looked as if something had choked him, his eyes bulging and his face turning crimson. "D-do you mean what I think you mean... b-b-both?! You're buying both watches in the couple's set?!"
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